subroutine charfloatlineparser(longchar,nmax,charvars,
     &nchars,floatvars,nfloats)
      implicit none
!7 Sept 2013, revised version
!parse a long line of chars into char and/or float variables with the following assumptions:
!1. Each cell is separated by a separating character which can be either a ',', blank space(s) or anything 
!with the ASCII code less than and including 032 or larger than and including 127
!2. Any separating characters at the end of the line are discarded, i.e.
!  '1,2,3,4,a,b,c,,,,,,,,,,       ,'='1,2,3,4,a,b,c'
!3. If there is no entry between two non-comma separating characters,these two separating characters are treated as one.
!   i.e. '1   2   3 4 a           b c'='1,2,3,4,a,b,c'
!4. If there is no entry between two commas that are not positioned in the end of the line, a missing value is assumed to
!exist between these two commas and this missing value is denoted with -9999, i.e.
!     i.e. '1,,3,4,a,b,c'='1,-9999,3,4,a,b,c'
!5. Comma has priotity as a separating characer. E.g commas and blank spaces are not used simultaneously as
!   separating characters in a single line. When both commas and blank spaces appear in the line, comma is 
!   the saparating character and blank spaces are repalced with '_'
      integer nmax,nchars,nfloats
      character(*)::longchar
      character charvars(nmax+100)*50,achar*50,stringvars(nmax+100)*50
      double precision floatvars(nmax)
      integer i,j,k,m,n,ndot,nplus,nminus,nd,ne,nCapD,nCapE,leng
!
      call charlineparser(longchar,nmax,stringvars,n)
      nchars=0
      nfloats=0
      do j=1,n
        ndot=0
        nplus=0
        nminus=0
        nd=0
        ne=0
        nCapD=0
        nCapE=0
        leng=LEN_TRIM(stringvars(j))
        achar=stringvars(j)(1:leng)
        i=leng
5       k=ichar(achar(i:i))
        if(k.le.47.or.k.ge.58)then
          m=0
          if(k.eq.46)then
            ndot=ndot+1
            m=1
          endif
          if(k.eq.43)then
            nplus=nplus+1
            m=1
          endif
          if(k.eq.45)then
            nminus=nminus+1
            m=1
          endif
          if(k.eq.100)then
            nd=nd+1
            m=1
          endif
          if(k.eq.101)then
            ne=ne+1
            m=1
          endif
          if(k.eq.68)then
            nCapD=nCapD+1
            m=1
          endif
          if(k.eq.69)then
            nCapE=nCapE+1
            m=1
          endif
          if(m.eq.0)then
            nchars=nchars+1
            charvars(nchars)=achar(1:leng)
            goto 10
          endif
        endif
        i=i-1
        if(i.ge.1)goto 5
        m=0
        if(ndot.gt.1)m=1
        if(nplus.gt.1)m=1
        if(nminus.gt.1)m=1
        if(nd.gt.1)m=1
        if(ne.gt.1)m=1
        if(nCapD.gt.1)m=1
        if(nCapE.gt.1)m=1
        if((nplus*nminus).gt.0)m=1
        if((nd+ne+nCapD+nCapE).gt.1)m=1
        if((nd+ne+nCapD+nCapE).eq.leng)m=1
        if(m.eq.1)then
          nchars=nchars+1
          charvars(nchars)=achar(1:leng)
        else
          nfloats=nfloats+1
          m=len(trim(achar))
          call extCharToFloatNum(m,achar,floatvars(nfloats),k)
        endif
10      continue
      enddo
      return
      end subroutine charfloatlineparser